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(No-Model.) l J. B'. CLEAVBLAND.

FENCE POST.

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

.IOIIN B. OLEAVELAND, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

. FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,231, dated February 24, 1891.

' Application led April 22, 1890.. Serial No. 348,972. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. OLEAVELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indian a,have invented certain new and use-v ful Improvements in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fence-posts, and is especiallyintended as an improvement upon the fence-post shown and described in United States Patent No. 392,948 and reissued United States Patent No. 11,045, heretofore granted to me, and to which reference may be had. In said patents the clips, which are provided with lugs to support the tubular rail, are secured to the post by a key or pin driven into the post from the outside just below the clip, and the wires are secured to the posts by staples driven therein.

The object of this invention is to secure the clips to the posts so as to form a long vertical bearing and so that the fasteners will be entirely hidden from view, and also to provide means for extending the wires directly through the posts, which is very desirable, without lessening the strength of the post, as heretofore, when drilling holes therein for this purpose, and without permitting the entrance of water at the places where the wires enter the post.

With these objects in view my invention consists in a clip-fastening for fences consisting of a pin or key projected transversely through a post, in combination with a clip having keyways or grooves formed upon its interior to receive the ends of the key or pin, substantially as hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

It also consists in a fence-post having one or more tubes to receive the wire or wires of the fence extended transversely through it and fastened thereto by annular flanges at their ends, which bear against the outside of the posts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 represents in central vertical section a portion of a tubular post provided with my improved clip -fastener and constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2, a like view showing a slightly modified construction of fastening; and Fig. 3, a section on dotted line 3 3, Fig. 1.

In` the drawings, A represents the fencepost, which is hollow and of any usual construction, it being preferably made from a section of gas-pipe of suitable diameter. B represents the clips, O the fastening for the clip, and D the wire-receiving sleeves.

In the drawings I have illustrated two clips of different forms, which are'held by similar keys, but in a different manner, which will be fully described.

In Fig. 1 the pestis drilled transversely to form small key-receiving openings, and the key or fastening C, which will preferably be a short piece of steel or other wire, is extended through said openings with its ends projected at either side, which ends, when the clip shown in Fig. 1 is used, are bent downward, as clearly shown in the drawings, but when the clip shown in Fig. 2 is used are bent upward, for the purpose hereinafter described.

The clip B (shown in Fig. 1) has a vertical inclined keyway or groove b formed in its inner sides oppositely, to receive and, as the clip is driven down upon the post, impinge upon the key or pin O, which securely holds it in place against vertical movement, the inclination of the keyway b being such that the farther down the clip is driven the tighter it will grasp the key, which arrangement is secure, prevents the key from being tampered with, and creates an invisible and desirable fastening.- The keyway will preferably be made in casting, but may be cut after the clip is formed, if desired.

In Fig. 2 the clip is shown as having a straight groove from the loweredge upon the interior to about the center and a verticallyinclined hole, as b2, formed at or near the upper terminus of the keyway, the purpose of which, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, (wherein the ends of the key or pin are turned upward,) is to receive the ends of the pin in such manner as to prevent upward or downward movement of the clip. As will be seen, the ends of the key O as the clip is driven down will be forced outward by the metal at the upper terminus of the keyway b' and be guided thereby into the inclined holes Z22,

which will prevent further movement of thel IOO cl ip. These holes b2 will preferably be formed by diagonallydrilling the same after tl1ekeyway b is formed.

Inaslnneh as it is new with me to have a 5 fastening secured to the post and engaged by the clip in the manner described, it is not desired to limit this application to any special form of key or keyway.

Formed transversely through the post A xo is a series ot holes d', into which are ex tended sleeves D, which are to receive the wires E. rl`hese sleeves D are preferably formed from sections of pipe of a length slightly greater than the diameter of the post. I5 'lhey are extended through the holes d in the post, and their ends are spun or turned over to form annular flanges to secure the same in place.

lVith my construction the post is greatly zo strengthened by the tubular sleeves and communication with the interior of the post cnt oit at these points.

Formed through the post A at its lower end is a d rain-opening F, which will allow the Waz 5 ter, if any runs into the post, to escape and will effectually prevent accumulation and freezing of water in the post.

I claiml. A fence-post having a key or pin ex- 3o tended transversely through it so that the ends of the pin project, in combination with a clip having a keywayor recess upon its inner face to receive the ends ot' the key or pin, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The post A, having the projected pin C secured thereto, in combination with the clip having a keyway h b2 to receive and hold the ends of the pin, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. rlhe post A, having the key or pin C projected transversely through it, with its projected ends bent vertically, in combination with the clip I3, having a keyway to bind the bent ends of the key or pin and hold the clip in place, substantially as described.

4. In a fence, the combination of the tubu-4 lar post A, having a series of transverse holes d through it, the tubular brace-sleeves D, secured in said holes and having annular flanges at their ends to bear against the outside oi the post, the wires E, loosely extend ed through said sleeves, the clips B, and the keys C, engaged by said clips, all arranged substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. CLEAVELAND. iVitnesses:

JOSEPH A. MINTURN, N. E. C. WHITNEY. 

